Bell ringing mechanism



Jan. 2, 1934. R. A. LIGHT El AL 1,942,360

BELL RINGING MECHANISM Filed Jan. 5, 1933 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 FIGI- IN VENTORS Balm 5/1 g m 1&4

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Jan. 2, 1934. R. A. LIGHT ET AL BELL RINGING MECHANISM Filed Jan. 5, 1933 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 JET,-

I INVENTORS: Ralph fl LigiLT A.

h W Prwz Patented Jan. 2, 1934 BELL RINGING MECHANISM Ralph A. Light, Cynwyd, and Joseph W. Price, Jr., assignors to The United States Metallic Packing Company, Philadel- Philadelphia, Pa.,

phia, Pa., a corporation of Pennsylvania Application January 5, 1933. Serial No. 650,242

8 Claims.

This invention relates to mechanism for ringing the bells of locomotives and the like; and it is concerned more particularly with pressure fluid actuated mechanisms for automatically operating bells of the swinging type as distinguished from those of the clapper operated type.

Ringing mechanisms of the kind specifically referred to as heretofore constructed were complicated; expensive to install; difficult of adjustment to prevent complete rotations of the bells with attendant irregularity in the frequencies of the soundings, and, on the other hand, to predetermine a swing of sufilcient amplitude which would insure the restoration of the actuating parts to starting position by the bell for repetitions of the operative cycle; and, moreover, susceptible to easy derangement in use.

Our invention is directed in the main toward overcoming the above recited drawbacks; and this desideratum we attain, as hereinafter fully disclosed, through provision of a simple, reliable, and easily attached automatic bell ringing mechanism wherein a fluid-actuated piston on its power strokes coacts alternately with the opposite convexed edges of the radial lobe cam affixed to the axis of the bell to impart swinging movement to the latter first in one direction and then in the other; and wherein a spring-urged bufier stop coacts likewise alternately with the opposite convexed edges of the lobe cam, to prevent complete rotations of the bell, said buffer stop also acting to gradually retard the bell as the latter nears the limits of its movements in opposite directions.

Other objects and attendant advantages of this invention will be manifest from the detailed description following in connection with the attached drawings, wherein Fig. I is a view show ing our improved ringing mechanism in association with a typical locomotive bell.

Fig. II is a plan sectional view of the bell ringing mechanism, taken as indicated by the arrows IIII of Fig. I and drawn to a larger scale.

Fig. III is a longitudinal sectional elevation of the mechanism viewed as indicated by the arrows III-III in Figs. I and II.

Fig. IV is a perspective View of a valve comprised in the mechanism; and

Fig. V is a view corresponding to Fig. II with the moving parts of the mechanism differently positioned. 1

With more detailed reference first more especially to Fig. I of these illustrations, the numeral 10 designates the locomotive bell, which, after common practice, is suspended centrally from a (Cl. 12l2) yoke 11 whereof the trunnions 12 and 13 are journalled in bearings 14, 15 of a double-armed supporting frame 16.

The bell ringing mechanism of our invention is comprehensively indicated by the numeral 17, the same having its moving parts housed within a casing 18 secured to the bearing 14 of the bell frame 16. As shown in' Figs. II, III and V, the casing 18 affords a circular chamber 19 in concentric relation to the swinging axis of the bell 10.

This circular chamber 19 is closed at one side by a cover plate 20 having an axially projecting boss 21 abutted against the face of the trunnion bearing 14 whereto it is made permanently fast preferably by welding along the-.- line of contact, the casing proper 18 being removably secured to said cover plate 20 after permanent attachment of the latter as .just explained, by screw bolts indicated at 22. This method of mounting the mechanism is obviously simple and convenient as well as inexpensive.

Pinned to the bell trunnion 12 within the chamber 19 of the casing 18 is a lobe cam 23 having oppositely convexed side edges 23a, 23b mergent with a concentric portion 230.

During the operation of the mechanism, the oppositely convexed edges 23a, 23b of the cam 23.are acted upon by a ball 24 which is socketed into the head 25a of a screw 25 let axially into the forward end of a piston 26, and secured in adjusted positions by means of a jamb nut 27.

The piston 26 reciprocates in a cylinder 28 formed integrally with the casing 18 radially of the chamber 19, and having its end closed by a removable'head 29.

Approximately at the center of one side, the cylinder 28 has an inlet 30 which communicates directly with a port 31and which is connected with a suitable source of steam or compressed air by means of a pipe shown at 32 in Figs. I and II. Adjacent its outer end and at the bottom, the cylinder 28 is furthermore provided with an outlet exhaust port 33 for exahust of the motive fluid incident to the return strokes of the piston 26. Admis-' sion of the motive fluid into and its exhaust from the cylinder 28 is governed by a hollowcup-like valve 35 located within the cylinder 28 behind of said valve.

During the return strokes of the piston 26, the valve 35 is shifted through contact of the rear face of said piston with the contiguous face of the valve.

As shown, the valve 35 is formed with an annular distributing groove 37 (see Fig. V) adapted for registry with the inlet port 31 of the cylinder, said groove being open to the interior of the cylinder through a number of radial ports 38, and the cross Web a at the end of the valve being provided. with a series of openings 39ffor access of the motive fluid to the rear face of the piston 26.

Slidably guided in an opening in the casing 18 in direct line with, but opposite to the cylinder 28, is a thimble-like buffer stop 41 which is subject to a helical compression spring 42. As shown in Figs. II, III and V, this buffer stop 41 projects into the chamber 19 of the casing 18 so that its rounded end may be engaged alternately by the curved edges 23a, 23b of the cam 23. Through this provision, the bell 16 is permitted to swing substantially through a full revolution in either direction but prevented from turning over completely, with attendant retardation thereof as it nears the limits of its oscillations, and avoidance of shocks to the mechanism. The buffer stop 41 is accessible for inspection or replacement upon removal of a screw plug 4.3 which serves as an U abutment for the outer end of the spring 42.

The operation of our novel bellringing mechanism is as follows: Assuming the parts to occupy the positions shown in Figs. II and III, upon admission of motive fiuid into the cylinder 28 through the port 31 and the registering groove 37 and radial openings of the valve 35, the piston 26 is urged forward in said cylinder 28. Through cooperation of the ball 24 with the convex edge 23a of the cam 23 the bell 10 is swung counter-clockwise. As the forward movement of the piston 26 continues, the head 36a of the screw 36 eventually encounters the cross-web 35a of the valve 35, so that the latter is carried along with the piston to close the inlet port 31 for the motive fluid. This occurs when the piston 26 has completed approximately two-thirds of its forward movement, the piston being carried the remainder of the Way solely by expansion of the entrained pressure medium. Under the momentum induced in the bell 10, the latter continues its swing after the ball 24 rides off the edge 23a of the cam 23 and onto the concentric portion 230 until the opposite edge 23b of said cam engages the buffer stop 41 as shown in full lines in Fig. V. Due to the pressure of the spring 42 and the cooperation of the rounded end of the buffer 41 with the cam edge 23b, the swing of the bell is gradually retarded and finally completely checked, the parts coming to rest in the position shown in Fig. V with the valve 35 advanced beyond the exhaust port 33 of the cylinder 28. The energy stored in the spring 32 by the action just described causes the bufier stop 41 to re-act upon the edge 23b of the cam 23, and inthis way assists in the initiation of the reverse swing of the'bell in the opposite or clockwise direction. As the reverse swing continues, the edge 23a of the cam 23 eventually re-counters the ball 24 and causes the piston 26 to be moved rearward, the valve 35 remaining stationary for a time to permit exhaust of the'cylinder 28 through the port 33. Soon however, the piston 25 finally engages the valve 35 and pushes the latter back to cover the exhaust port 33 with restoration of the parts to the starting position shown in Figs. II

and III. During the latter part of the return movement of the piston 26 it will be readily understood from Fig. III that a portion of the motive fluid is trapped in the rear end of the cylinder 28 for cushioning purposes. Incident to the next swing of the bell 10 is retarded and finally checked exactly as before. Repetitions of this cycle obviously result in swinging of the bell 10 first in one direction and then in the other with a retarded movement at the end of each swing. Under the described method of operation, it is evident that the action of our bell ringing mechanism will be smooth and regular in determining bell soundings at a comparatively moderate but uniform frequency.

Having thus described our invention, we claim:

1. Ringing mechanism for locomotive bells and the like comprising a rotary cam aflixed to the swinging axis of the bell, said cam having a radial lobe with oppositely-sloped side edges; and a reciprocating actuating member coacting, during successive power strokes, alternately with the oppositely-sloped edges of the cam to impart swinging movement to the bell first in one direction and then in the other.

2. Ringing mechanism for locomotive bells and the like comprising a rotary cam afiixed to the swinging axis of the bell, said cam having a radial lobe with oppositely-sloped side edges; a reciprocating actuating member coacting, during successive power strokes, alternately with the oppositely-sloped edges of the cam to impart swinging movement to the bell first in one direction and then in the other; and means to confine, the bell to oscillatory movement.

3. Ringing mechanism for locomotive bells and the like comprising a rotary cam affixed to the swinging axis of the bell, said cam having a radial lobe with oppositely-sloped side edges; a reciproeating actuating member coacting, during successive power. strokes, alternately with the oppositely-sloped edges of the cam to impart swinging movement of the bell first in one direction and then in the other; and yielding means also coacting alternately with the oppositely-sloped edges of the cam to prevent complete rotations of the bell and to gradually retard the bell as it near the limits of its swings in opposite directions.

4. Ringing mechanism for locomotive bells and the like comprising a rotary cam affixed to the swinging axis of the bell, said cam having a radial lobe with oppositely-sloped side edges; a reciprocating actuating member coacting, during successive power strokes, alternately with the oppositely-sloped edges of the cam to impart swinging movement to the bell first in one direction and then in the other; and a spring-influenced buiier stop also coacting alternately with the oppositely-sloped edges of the cam to prevent complete rotations of the bell and to gradually retard the bell as it approaches the limits of its swings in opposite directions.

5. Ringing mechanism for locomotive bells and. the like comprising a rotary cam affixed to the axis of the bell, said cam having a radial lobe with oppositely-sloped side edges; and a fluid actuated cylinder with a piston to coact, during successive'power strokes, alternately with 'the'oppositely-sloped edges of the cam to impart swinging movement to the bell first in one direction and then in the other.

6. Ringing mechanism for locomotive bells and the like comprising a rotary cam affixed to the swinging axis of the bell, said cam having a radial lobe with oppositely-sloped side edges; a fluid actuated cylinder with the piston to coact, during successive power strokes, alternately with the oppositely-sloped edges of the cam to impart swinging motion to the bell first in one direction and then in the other; and automatically-actuated valve means for controlling admission and exhaust of motive fluid to and from the cylinder.

'7. Ringing mechanism for locomotive bells and the like comprising a casing adapted for attachment to the supporting frame of the bell, said casing affording a circular chamber concentric with the axis of the bell, and a cylinder radial of said chamber; a rotary cam afiixed to the axis of the bell within the circular chamber of the casing, said cam having a radial lobe with oppositely-sloped side edges; a piston within the cylinder coacting, during successive power strokes, alternately with the oppositely-sloped edges of the cam to impart swinging motion to the bell first in one direction and then in the other; and

valve means for controlling admission and exhaust of motive fluid to and from the cylinder.

8. Ringing mechanism for locomotive bells and the like comprising a casing affording a circular chamber concentric with the axis of the bell, a cylinder radial of said circular chamber, and a detachable cover plate closing the chamber at one side, said cover plate having a boss co-axial matically actuated valve means for controlling admission and exhaust of motive fluid to and from the cylinder.

RALPH A. LIGHT. JOSEPH W. PRICE, JR. 

